Jade and Pearls
by Carlotta Snape
Summary: When Severus's cover is blown, he must bring his family to hogwarts to ensure their safety. Post OotP, slightly Au cause I'm Kind of ignoring a certain character death for the purpose of this story. Please R&R!
1. Cover blown

Jade and Pearls

Chapter One: **Cover Blown**

**Disclaimer: It all belongs to JK and Warner Brothers, except for Riley, Blake and Aunt Loraina (they are mine).**

Dumbledore sat in his office tapping his foot slightly with impatience; it was not like Severus to be late. He had left for a death eater meeting shortly after he had arrived at a pre-term staff meeting the day previous and had informed Dumbledore he would return before dawn.

It was now two in the afternoon, and Dumbledore was starting to worry. Severus's position as a spy was very precarious and anything could have happened.

ooO0Ooo

(The night before just before the staff meeting)

He apparated just outside of the Hogwarts antiapparation border and slowly made his way towards the school. It was approaching the beginning of another school year, which always put a damper on his mood. He did not particularly enjoy teaching, and it was not like he needed the money, he had inherited more than he could ever spend. No, the reason he taught was as a favor to Dumbledore. He owed Dumbledore more than he could ever repay, for helping him turn away from the dark lord.

As he reached the front doors, it started to sprinkle. _Great _he thought_ just add to the gloomy occasion why don't you!_ Shooting an irritated look up at the sky as the rumbling sound of thunder resonated across the sky.

He entered the school and slowly made his way towards the staff room, having to flatten himself against the wall at one point to avoid be plowed over by Filch, the caretaker, as he ran past shouting "We've got Peeves now!" as he was followed by that mangy cat of his that always made Severus think of a horrible muggle children's story called _The Landlady. _He got to the staffroom five minutes before the designated time and entered to find most of the staff already assembled.

Flitwick was happily prattling away to Professor Sprout about some sort of charm that made plants remain in a certain phase of their growth. Professors Sinistra and Vector where engaged in a conversation about the latest model of broom with Madame Hooche. Hagrid was telling Headmaster Dumbledore a joke having to do with shoe and a crab (Snape really hoped that he would not have to hear it later). Severus noticed the pinched look on Professor McGonagall's face and realized the reason immediately, noting that Trelawney was attempting to engage her in conversation.

With a slight smile tugging on the corners of his mouth, which looked a bit more like a smirk, he decided to rescue his poor colleague from having to endure such absolute nonsense as he was sure was pouring out of the Divination teacher's mouth, and settled himself in the chair that was between them. He knew that he was quite safe from Trelawney, for she avoided him as much as possible after a small incident that occurred shortly after he began teaching at Hogwarts.

"Severus you are an absolute lifesaver." Professor McGonagall muttered quietly, looking very much relieved, to which he merely snorted in reply. They both looked up as Dumbledore cleared his throat to signify the beginning of the meeting.

"Welcome back," he greeted with a smile, his eyes twinkling merrily, "I hope you are all looking forward to the upcoming school year as much as I am." Severus rolled his eyes as Dumbledore continued, "This year Professor Lupin will be returning as our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Professor Black will be replacing the vacancy left by Professor Binns as the History of Magic Teacher."

At hearing this, Severus stiffened and snapped his eyes onto the smiling face of the headmaster. Several feelings were rushing through him at this announcement but none made any appearance on his face, which remained a cold mask of indifference. He felt anger, hurt, betrayal; Dumbledore knew how much he hated those two.

Severus barely heard the Headmaster as he continued, "…are away on some business for me at the moment and will be returning with the students. I hope they will receive a warm welcome." As he said this, his eyes lingered on Severus for a moment.

When they moved on to other topics, Severus reflected on the news that was so horrifying to him. He hated Black. The thought of having to spend a whole year with the man was enough to make the bile rise up the back of his throat. Suddenly he felt a surge of pain rip through his forearm.

The Dark Lord was calling him.

He made eye contact with Dumbledore, communicating his need to depart and then quietly excused himself and slipped out of the room. He exited the school and stepped into what had started as a sprinkle, was now a full-blown thunderstorm. By the time he made it to the edge of the antiapparition border, he was thoroughly soaked. _Lovely _he thought sarcastically_ all I need right now is to get sick! _He touched his mark and disapparated.

He apparated in a dark clearing and quickly took his place in the circle of death eaters.

"Welcome my loyal servants," Voldemort rasped, "Today we shall begin our plans to remove the Potter boy from his relatives, but before we begin I must bring to light a traitor," at these words, Severus paled underneath his mask, he could feel his stomach turn, and his palms became sweaty. Voldemort continued, "He is among us now, and I must congratulate his success at remaining undetected for so long. He is none other then Severus Snape!"

At this, all eyes and wands turned to Snape. _Oh Holy Shit!_ Thought Snape.

ooO0Ooo

Dumbledore turned his attention to some paperwork. At least he could keep his mind occupied while he waited.

(End of Chapter)


	2. Escape

Jade and Pearls

Chapter 2: Escape

Blinding pain shot through him as he writhed on the ground. The cruciatus curse ripped through his body like fire. It felt like it had been hours when in actuality it had only been a few minutes. When it finally stopped, he lay on the cold earth panting; he felt as if he was laying in a puddle, _probably my blood…Ugh_ he thought.

Voldemort gazed at him with a hint of amusement, "My dear Severus, I shall truly enjoy killing you, but first, I shall watch you experience pain of seven hells, and have you stripped of all dignity you possess," he hissed. The sun was starting to set, and a red moon was on the rise. "Move him to the water house," he snapped at the death eaters. At his command, two masked figures heaved Severus to his feet and dragged him to a small stone building.

After flinging him through the door, so that he slammed into the opposite wall with a sickening crunch, the two death eaters turned to the dark lord for further instructions. As Severus lay in a heap on the stone floor, the Dark Lord dismissed all of the death eaters except for Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange. They entered the stone structure and then stepped aside to allow Voldemort entrance.

"Now my dear Severus, I will very much enjoy our next few hours together. I very much doubt you will feel the same… _Crucio!_" he hissed and Severus was washed away by another wave of pain.

ooO0Ooo

Dumbledore had started to pace his office, it was 11 o'clock pm and Severus was still not back and had sent no word of his well-being. He had no way to contact Severus or to locate him without Severus making contact in some form first. Having things set up like this was risky and until now, luck had been with them. Suddenly an idea struck the headmaster and a slight twinkle returned to his eyes. He threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace and called to the kitchens a request for an audience with Dobby the house elf. Dumbledore smiled as he gazed over his half-moon spectacles at the exuberant house elf standing in front of him. "Dobby I need you to do me a special favor," Dumbledore began.

If it were possible, the already ecstatic Dobby became an absolute molecule of energy. "Oh Headmaster, Dobby would do anything to help; Dobby would especially help the most wonderful headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen who has been so kind to Dobby," the adoring house elf squeaked, his huge eyes starting to fill with tears.

"Now now," Dumbledore said in an attempt to calm the House elf, "What I need you to do is of the utmost importance and secrecy." At these words, Dobby straitened up and stuck his chest out. "I am greatly concerned about Severus' absence and fear for his safety. I do not know if he is even alive," he paused, "I need you to perform a Tai Pan, I have a feeling that wherever Lucius is, we will find Severus."

At the mention of Tai Pan, Dobby began to absolutely quake with fear. It was an ancient Chinese bond between servant and master, which enabled any servant to appear immediately at the side of any master to which they were magically bonded at any point in time. Dobby greatly feared his former master and had hoped to avoid coming into his presence. However, he wanted to help the kind Headmaster even if it put himself in danger.

"Headmaster Dumbledore Sir, Dobby would be most honored to serve you in any way possible, even risking of life is a small repayment for all Headmaster has done for Dobby." the house elf squeaked out. Dumbledore smiled kindly at the little rescuer as he disappeared, and then summoned Professor McGonagall.

ooO0Ooo

_I am going to die_ he thought to himself. He was much calmer about it then he thought he would be in the final moment. He was in so much pain, all he wanted was relief and death would be the quickest salve. He saw more then felt Lucius kick him in the head. He was starting to go numb. He saw the dark lord's mouth moving, he knew he was being spoken to but the words ran together creating a buzzing effect _Like a bumblebee_ he thought, trying to picture Voldemort in yellow and black stripes with little wings. He would have laughed but was too tired and knew it was not worth the repercussion he would receive.

Abruptly the buzzing jerked into harsh words as Severus' mind was brought into focus, "… admired Florence very much, She died in service for me (_why is he talking about my wife?_ Snape wondered) it is not enough to blot out your treachery. I will have them brought here. They will convert or die. I'll even let you watch" Voldemort hissed maliciously with a sick smile.

_What the hell is he talking about? Who is coming?_ Severus wondered irritably then suddenly it clicked _HIS CHILDREN! VOLDEMORT WAS GOING TO HURT HIS CHILDREN_! As Severus saw Lucius' blurred form through his eyes that were starting to swell shut he realized that Lucius must have told the Dark Lord where they were, since Lucius was the only person who he had told about where he was keeping his children. He started to panic. He could not die; he could not let Voldemort take his children.

Suddenly, he saw Lucius scrambling backwards and waving his arms. Something was attacking him. Something that was small and had arms and legs. Severus suddenly realized it was a house elf. _Am I hallucinating?_ He wondered as he watched the scene unfold with astonishment.

Dobby had appeared in the room with a crack. He saw the Dark Lord and Lucius Malfoy standing over Professor Snape's badly beaten form on the ground. In a split second decision, Dobby launched himself at Malfoy scratching and biting. Malfoy reacted immediately trying to fend off the creature while pulling out his wand. Voldemort got over his initial shock of something apparating into a warded area and pointed his wand at the struggling pair, aimed for Dobby and hissed out a killing curse. It missed Dobby and hit Lucius, killing him instantly. The Dark Lord let out a shriek of rage at losing one of his best death eaters. He lifted his wand and aimed again but Dobby just snapped his fingers and disappeared. Voldemort whirled around and unleashed his rage on…a wall. Severus had disappeared.

As he saw Lucius fall, he instantly realized his window of escape. Lucius had been the one who had set the antapparition wards around the area and they had died with him. He used the last of his energy and quickly apparated to the Forbidden Forest just outside the Hogwarts antiapparition boundary, stumbled over the edge and collapsed.

"He's here." Dumbledore stated as the blue orb labeled Severus Snape on the rack next to his desk glowed white. He stood up quickly and motioned for a bewildered Professor McGonagall to follow him.

ooO0Ooo

She thought she saw something. It was hard to see due to the pouring rain, and a _Lumous_ spell did little to penetrate the inky blackness of midnight. It looked like a pile of dirty rags, but she knew it was Severus. "Albus I found him" she called out as she knelt down by his side to assess the damage. His face was bloody and bruised, he had a nasty gash on his cheek that was deep enough to show the bone, and his eyes were all swollen up. She could not identify any other injuries due to his robes, which clung to his emaciated form. Dumbledore appeared by her side instantly and reached a hand out, placing it on the injured professor's forehead. A slight glow flowed from Dumbledore's fingers and after a moment Severus's eyes fluttered open. The expression of agony McGonagall saw in those black eyes was one she knew she would never be able to forget.

"My babies Albus! He's going to hurt my babies," Severus croaked frantically out as he tried to move. The pain, however, was too much for him and he slipped back into unconsciousness. Dumbledore immediately conjured up a stretcher and levitated the unconscious potions master onto it.

"Minerva, take him to Poppy immediately, then come to my office and wait for me. I have to check on something," Dumbledore said gravely, the usual twinkle absent from his eyes. She nodded quickly, despite her confusion, and hurried off to the castle stretcher in tow, as the headmaster stepped outside the antiapparition ward and disappeared.

"Poppy!" McGonagall yelled as she swept into the hospital wing, with Severus's prone form floating behind her. Poppy poked her head out of her office, looking slightly irritated, but when her eyes fell on the limp, bloody form of the potions master, she immediately went into emergency nurse mode. She quickly levitated him onto one of the hospital beds and began peeling away the blood-soaked robes.

(End of Chapter)


	3. The Last Resort

Jade and Pearls

Chapter 3: The Last Resort

Dumbledore quietly entered the hospital wing. He could see Professor McGonagall pacing with a worried expression on her face and beyond her, he could see Severus in one of the infirmary beds with Madame Pomfrey hovering over him, occasionally muttering spells and waving her wand. "Minerva," the headmaster called softly as he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She turned to him looking rather relieved, "Oh Albus, I am so glad you are back. Severus is…" at this point she broke off gesturing hopelessly at the critical patient.

"How bad is he Minerva?" The headmaster asked softly, the worry evident in his eyes.

She took a deep breath and then began in a soft shaky voice, "He has two broken ribs, seven more are fractured. His left arm is broken in five places and his left wrist is badly sprained. His left collarbone is also broken. His right lung is punctured and his liver is badly damaged. His vertebrae L2 through L4 have swung out of place. He is also suffering from a ruptured appendix and a rather nasty case of strep throat." During this speech, she had unconsciously begun to wring her hands, and Albus' expression became graver.

Professor McGonagall resumed her pacing and the Headmaster slowly lowered himself into a chair. He focused on the stone floor as his thoughts clouded his mind. He felt guilty about continuing to let Severus spy. He had asked him if he would resign, but Severus was adamant about continuing with what he considered penance for past wrongs. Dumbledore had constantly tried to convince Severus that he had more than repaid his debt. But it was all in vain, and now he was in a bad state, and Dumbledore felt responsible.

His reverie was interrupted as Madam Pomfrey came over to where they were waiting and gestured that they should move to her office to converse. They followed her silently and seated themselves in two chairs positioned in front of her desk.

Madam Pomfrey seated herself and folded her hands on the desk in front of her, "I…I've never seen him in such a bad state before." She said and upon noticing their worried expressions quickly added, "Oh he will live, not to worry. That old codger is to stubborn to die." A wry smile had flitted across her face but disappeared as she continued, "He will have a difficult recovery. The bones I can heal for the most part in a day or two and the rest should follow in a week, but…" She paused for a moment as if to decide exactly how to phrase it, "his heart. It is very weak. He went into cardiac arrest at some point between when you found him and when he reached the hospital wing. I resuscitated him in time so there is no brain damage, but the effects will leave him in a weaker state than he is used to for perhaps many months."

The silence that followed emphasized the gravity of the revelation. "Now the real problem will be with convincing him of this. Knowing him as we all do, he will ignore medical advice and direction and try to continue as he did before." She continued, "He should wake in a few hours; I gave him a sleeping draught so he wouldn't disturb anything as I was setting the broken bones. Until then I suggest you both get some rest." As she said this, she stood up and ushered them out of her office and out of the hospital wing, closing the door firmly behind them.

The Headmaster and Professor stood in silence for a moment before Dumbledore excused himself and hurried off to his office. Minerva was feeling rather bewildered. Everything had happened so fast and she barely had a grasp on that evening's occurrences. She knew about Severus being a spy of course because he was a member of the Order, and she understood that his cover had been blown. But what did Severus mean about Voldemort hurting babies? And what was so urgent that Dumbledore had to check? She sighed wearily and headed for her rooms. She would have to ask Albus later. For now, she was going to bed.

ooO0Ooo

He felt as though he was climbing a ladder out of a dark pit. Slowly he began to regain his senses, as he neared the opening of his subconscious hole. He became aware enough of his surrounding to have a conscious stream of thought. He was lying on his back in a bed. He could not move but did not really want to, so it was irrelevant to him at the moment. And he hurt…pretty much everywhere. He finally decided that the only place that did not hurt was his right elbow. He also changed his mind about not wanting to move as he became aware that he had to use the bathroom oh so desperately. He slowly started to stir and opened his eyes momentarily before immediately shutting them against the abominable streaming rays of sunshine pouring through the hospital wing's high, arched windows. Now he was seeing green spots as well. _Lovely_ he thought, _I'm blind, have no ribs and am about to wet the bed for the first time in about 30 years_.

"Ahh how nice to have you back in the land of the living," came the soft voice of the Headmaster, interrupting the minigripe Severus was in the process of running through his mind.

At the sound of the Headmaster's voice, Severus slowly opened his eyes and groaned. Albus was sitting next to the bed in which Severus was now residing, in a rather uncomfortable chair, reading what appeared to be a muggle comic book, while drinking tomato juice through a hollowed out peppermint stick. Severus wanted to ask immediately why he was there, but it all came rushing back to him with a wave of panic. He remembered going to the staff meeting and then being called away to another meeting and being found out as a spy, and his children were in danger. As this last bit of information registered in his brain, he turned his panicky eyes to meet the headmaster's calm sparkling ones. Before he could even utter a sound, the headmaster held up a hand for silence, having perceived Severus' thoughts and hastily spoke to reassure him.

"They are quiet safe. As soon as I saw that you were in Minerva's capable hands and on the way to the infirmary, I immediately went to ensure your children's safety. They were at their grandmother's home in New York, and I immediately relocated them to the house in California where they stay during the school year, and you mother-in-law went on her vacation to Cuba early. Everyone is quite safe I assure you." Severus felt relief wash over him as Albus narrated his actions. They were safe now. "What needs to be discussed is what to do next. What I have done is only a temporary fix to the problem," Albus continued, fixing Severus with a piercing stare.

Severus swallowed, trying to work the moisture back into his mouth. He allowed the headmaster to help him into a reclining position and accepted the proffered glass, slowly sipping it. Once he felt sufficiently hydrated, he turned his intense gaze on the headmaster. "I will do what must be done," he said simply.

Albus smiled softly, handed him a bedpan and exited the room. Severus' children would be brought to Hogwarts. That would be the best way to keep them safe, loathe as he was to do so. He was against the wall, and this was his last resort. Once he was sufficiently relieved, he curled up and fell into a restful sleep.

(End of Chapter)


	4. Preparations

Jade and Pearls

Chapter 4: Preparations

Severus found that as long as he did not move too quickly and got plenty of rest, he could function semi normally. He was frustrated because he was not able to do anywhere near what he was usually capable of doing. Normally, his day would begin at around 5 am with him rising immediately, and then going for a run about the Hogwarts grounds. He would then return to his quarters, take a shower and dress, and then go over his schedule. He would read until 7:45 and then head to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Now, however, he could not seem to drag himself out of bed before 8 am and he spent about an hour just waking up, showering and dressing himself. He ended up being late to breakfast each time and it just threw his whole body off. The worst of it was the headmaster had put a baby watcher charm on him, to monitor his movements to ensure that he did not overtax himself. It was completely humiliating. At least he would be able to get away for a while when he went to get his kids.

His kids. That topic had bounced around his mind continuously over the past few days. He loved them so much it hurt and would do anything to protect them. When they had been born a little over 16 years ago, he had been so happy. He recalled his shock when the doctor laid two little bundles in his arms. Twins. A week after their birth Florence had been killed, leaving him a widower and his children without a mother. Between feigning servitude to the Dark Lord and his work for the Order, he did not have the time to care for two infants, so he had sent them to live with his mother-in-law in New York City. He visited when he could, and after the fall of Voldemort, went to stay with them for a year. He had not believed that Voldemort was really dead, and still worried about his children's safety because of the death eaters running around. The whole thing was complicated and as it ended up, he came to teach at Hogwarts as a favor for Dumbledore, the children remaining in the United States, and they began to attend school in San Francisco, at the Institute. He went back every summer so they could be together. He really didn't want them to attend Hogwarts. The education was not as good as that of the US and the British Ministry was far too involved in the mechanics of everything. Now to keep his children safe, they would have to come here.

He could feel the beginnings of a headache as he thought about all this. Maybe he should lie down for a bit before dinner. Yes, that was an excellent plan, he thought, as he lay down on top of the covers and snuggled up to a pillow. He would only rest his eyes for a moment, and then get back to work; he still had so much to do before he brought his children to the school.

ooO0Ooo

When Severus awoke several hours later, he realized that he wasn't alone. He turned his head until he was looking directly into the headmaster's twinkling eyes. "Don't you ever knock?" Severus grumbled sleepily as he slowly sat up.

"Oh I did, several times actually. You could sleep through an atomic explosion."

"A what?" Severus asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Muggle technology," the headmaster said, waving his hand dismissively. "I brought the transfer forms for you to sign," indicating a sheaf of parchment on the bedside table; he continued, "You can give them back to me tomorrow at breakfast. Good evening." And he left the room.

Severus blinked a few times, trying to wake up. Realizing that he would require something, preferably that contained caffeine, he called down to the kitchens for some coffee. He managed to finish the paperwork within a half hour, and three hours later, he had his chambers arranged in a satisfactory manner, now equipped to handle two additional occupants. He fell asleep around midnight, quite satisfied with the days work and ready to be reunited with his children.

(End of Chapter)


	5. To Toss a Salad

Jade and Pearls

Chapter 5: To Toss a Salad

Severus made his way up the ramp that led to the airport. He was tired and hungry, having refused to eat the compost the airline claimed was food. All he wanted right now was to eat and go to bed. He navigated his way to the baggage retrieval, and then made his way to the exit, intent on getting a taxi.

"Daddy!" he heard a voice shout. The next instant he was nearly knocked off his feet as the figure of a teenage girl slammed into him, hugging him so hard he could barely breathe.

He wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug. "Hi Princess," He murmured into her dark hair. She released him and picked up one of his bags, wrapping her free arm around his waist. He picked up the other bag and slung an arm over her shoulders. They approached a silver mini cooper convertible and Severus put the luggage in the trunk.

An hour later, they pulled up in front of a peach colored brick mansion with a picturesque, green lawn that was the envy of the neighborhood. At this point in the year, the standard color for grass was brown or yellow. Only magic kept the lawn green, but the muggle neighbors had no way of knowing this.

ooO0Ooo

Blake had decided not to accompany his sister to the airport. It wasn't that he didn't miss his dad, he just preferred to greet him in the privacy of his own home. He also hated to be in the car when his sister was driving. He was sitting in the living room, which gave him an excellent view of the driveway, he was on his feet and out the door as soon as the mini cooper came to a rather screechy halt.

"Dad!" He called out as he jogged over to where his father and sister were extricating the luggage from the trunk. After the exchange of a few manly backslaps, Blake grabbed his dad's bags and took them inside, Severus and Riley following behind.

ooO0Ooo

"Blake!" Severus yelled, standing at the foot of the stairs, "Let's go! We're going to be late!" When the object of his raised voice failed to make an appearance, Severus sighed and climbed the stairs. He tried his son's door only to find it locked. With a scowl, Severus curled his hand into a fist and pounded against the door, "Blakely Anthony Ereland Snape! You open this door right now! The consequences-." He broke off as the door suddenly opened to reveal Blake wearing boxers and a t-shirt.

"Dad, can't I stay home?" he pleaded as he toyed with the doorknob, "I hate these things."

"No you may not, this is a time to come and support your sister." Severus said sternly, "You may bring a book if you like; I know you don't like coming to your sister's games any more than she likes watching your band, but as siblings, you need to be more encouraging." He turned to leave, "You have three minutes to be downstairs and ready to go." He called over his shoulder to the despondent teen.

ooO0Ooo

"Where's Riley?" Blake asked his dad as he fastened his seatbelt. He had actually taken closer to five minutes to get ready but Severus let it slide.

"Some of her cheerleader friends picked her up earlier." Severus replied as he sped out of the driveway. Arriving at the football stadium sometime later, being too late to find a space in the actual parking lot, Severus joined the growing number of cars on the grass. They managed to find fairly decent seats in the bleachers, and Blake flipped open his book immediately upon gaining their seats. Severus allowed himself a small smile. Blake really was a puzzle box when it came to personality. He was in a punk band, and, like many teenage boys, had his room covered with pictures of scantily clad women. Yet, unlike most teenage boys, he loved to read, worked hard in school and hated beer and football.

"…last game of the season!" The crowd cheered. The game started and Severus found himself glancing over and reading from Blake's book. He disliked the sport even more than his son did, but since his daughter was cheering, he felt the obligation of being a supportive father. His own father had been anything but that, and he was determined to make sure his kids never had to experience what he did as a child.

It was finally halftime, so all the cheerleaders came out and did their little show. They were quite good, but what else could one expect from the squad who had won second place in the nationals last year? His daughter's performance in the number was flawless (of course) and Severus found himself wondering why his daughter had not been made captain this year. Although he had little knowledge about cheerleader politics or even cheerleading in general, he knew his daughter would have been the best candidate. However, if she had been made captain, it would have made the transition to Hogwarts very difficult, so it was probably for the best. That reminded him, he still had to tell them that he had transferred them to Hogwarts, definitely not a conversation he was looking forward to having.

They had won. Severus and Blake struggled through the ecstatic crowds until they reached Riley.

"Good job Princess." Severus said as his daughter gave him a hug.

"Thanks Daddy."

"Yeah," Blake chimed in, "I especially loved the intellectual chanting."

"Enough." Severus said with a roll of his eyes. "Okay, are you going to go out with your friends, or do you want to come home with us?"

"Home definitely. Let me go get my stuff and I'll be right back."

Severus handed Blake his cell phone, "Go ahead and order a few pizzas, I really don't feel like cooking tonight."

"What toppings?" Blake asked as he started dialing.

"Make one of them a double cheese and you can pick the others." Blake nodded as he turned away slightly to place the order.

"'Kay, let's go." Riley said as she appeared with a large duffle.

Severus drove, with Blake seated next to him and Riley situated in the back. After listening to Blake and Riley argue about the choice of radio station for about five minutes, He switched it off, demanding silence until the reached the house. Riley sat back with a sulk and crossed her arms. Blake turned and stared out of the window for the remainder of the trip.

Upon arriving home, both teenagers exited the car in a huff, slamming their respective doors and storming into the house. Severus sighed as he turned off the motor and locked the car. He had been planning to tell them tonight about the transfer to Hogwarts. Now he wasn't so sure it was the best time. They were all tired and cranky and he doubted that even hot pizza and a movie could cure them. He entered the house and went to the kitchen, flipping on lights as he went. He quietly pulled out cups, plates and silverware. The two Snape children were nowhere to be seen, _probably off sulking in their rooms_ Snape thought. He grabbed a remote and flipped on the kitchen television.

He was just beginning to relax when the doorbell rang, indicating the arrival of the pizza. A few moments after Severus had set the stack of pizzas on the counter, Blake appeared, and helped himself to a few larges slices. After calling for Riley, Severus joined his son in the delicate art of devouring pizza.

"Is there any salad?" Riley asked as she entered the kitchen.

Severus swallowed the rather large bit he had been chewing. "You can make some if you want, stuff is in the fridge." Riley jerked open the chrome fridge door and started pulling things out. Lettuce, spinach leaves, tomatoes, shredded carrots, half a cucumber and a can of sweet corn.

"You're going to bruise the lettuce."

"I'm shaking the water off." Riley snapped, irritated.

"No, you're bashing it against the counter." Severus retorted. "You should lay it out between two paper towels and press gently."

Blake rolled his eyes and reached for another slice of pizza. His dad was so weird when it came to the preparation of an ingredient, be it for potion or food.

_A Few Minutes Later:_

"You are mangling that tomato! Make precise slices."

Riley threw the knife down, "Fine, you do it."

Severus stood and quickly took over the salad preparations. Riley took a seat next to Blake and began degreasing her pizza. A rather simple process, all she had to do was dab up the puddles nestled alongside the cheese, and then laid the paper towel on top of the pizza and press. The results were a grease soaked paper towel, a slightly less greasy piece of pizza, and a disgusted looking Blake.

"That's so gross"

"Better than eating it." she replied flippantly and took a bite that would be considered most unladylike.

"There!" Severus exclaimed as he finished cleaning and cutting everything. Both children sat there watching him, their cheeks bulging with pizza, giving them a vague resemblance to chipmunks. Severus slowly began layering everything into the bowl and then drizzled some dressing liberally over the mixture.

"Aren't you going to toss it?" Blake asked. Actually, it came out a bit more like "Bart u gn towit?"

"Swallow and repeat." Severus said without looking up.

"I said aren't you going to toss it?"

"Tossing is overrated, besides, it's already properly distributed."

"That's not the same thing, and it can't be tossed now anyway; he has already put the dressing on." Riley said between bites.

"You can toss it with the dressing," Blake said, "I just throw everything into a zip lock baggie and shake."

"That's disgusting." Severus said. "Layering works much better."

"No it doesn't." Riley insisted, "You're supposed to put everything into a bowl and lightly mix and toss with salad spoons or tongs, then you drizzle on the dressing." They continued on this point until the food was eaten and they could barely keep their eyes open. As he crawled into the welcome comfort of his bed, Severus decided that the evening had turned out much better than he had anticipated. Of course he still had to tell the about the transfer, but he would not think about it now, he was too tired, he would think about it tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)


	6. Girly PopTarts

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A/N: Sorry about the ridiculously long wait…I have just gotten settled back in the US and hopefully will be updating more regularly. Hope you like it!

Jade and Pearls

Chapter 6: Girly Pop Tarts

The sunlight gradually crept across the floor and up onto the huge bed. It soon blanketed fingers, a hand, and was inching towards the elbow when the figure let out a groan and rolled away, pulling his arm from the pool of sunlight. Knowing that he would not be able to go back to sleep, Severus heaved himself out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. Five minutes later, he emerged, looking slightly more awake.

Blake glanced up from the comics as his father entered the room. "There's some girly pop tarts in the microwave," Blake said watching his father carefully as Severus shuffled over to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee.

Earlier that morning, Riley had woken Blake up telling him that something was wrong with their dad. She had been unable to wake him, which was quite unusual because he was normally the world's lightest sleeper. He was breathing though so they knew he was not dead and Blake managed to convince Riley that calling an ambulance was a bit extreme, because he was probably just tired, and they should wait a few hours.

When Headmaster Dumbledore had shown up at their house in New York to move them somewhere safe, he had not given much of an explanation other than that Voldemort had discovered their father as a spy and they were now in danger and had to be relocated. When Riley had enquired about their father's well being, the headmaster had merely said that he would come in a week or so.

"There are some girly pop-tarts in the microwave," Blake repeated.

"Girly pop-tarts hmm," Severus said as he opened the microwave and pulled one out to examine it. It had pink frosting and sparkly, pink sprinkles, "I think I'll stick with manly bacon and eggs."

"What did he do to you?" Blake blurted out, unable to contain himself any longer.

Severus' eyes widened and he turned to stare ay his son. "What do you mean?" Severus asked, trying to stifle the uneasiness creeping into his mind.

"The Dark Lord, you-know-who, what did he do when he found out you were betraying him?"

"I…"Severus broke off as he found himself staring into a set of large black eyes, nearly identical to his own. "It's not important Blake."

The boy's eyes flashed angrily, "Not important? When we stood right next to you and shouted for like ten minutes and you wouldn't wake up?" By the time he got to the end, he was shouting. Severus glared at him for a second before he dropped his eyes and leaned back against the counter.

"It's not important exactly what happened. I'd actually rather not discuss it, but I will tell you this, I am still a bit unwell because of…heart problems." Severus spent the next fifteen minutes explaining the new restrictions he now had due to him health problems. Blake laughed when his dad told him about the baby watcher charm.

"But are you going to be okay?" Blake asked concernedly.

"Yeah kiddo, it will just take a bit of time." Severus replied smiling sadly.

"Where is Riley?" Severus asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Shopping. She said she would probably be back around two."

Severus looked at the clock. It was 11:19. "Okay, when she gets back I need to talk to the two of you in my study, so stick around for a bit."

"In the study? Are we in trouble or is it bad news?"

"Wait and see…" Severus said archly.

ooO0Ooo

"What! No way! I am so not moving!"

Blake's reaction was much less vocal then his sister's, being only a frown accompanied by a quiet sigh.

"Dad this is so not fair!" Riley continued her rant.

"Riley hush, you're giving me a headache." Severus snapped irritably. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Blake, what do you think about all this?" He asked, his eyes still closed. Blake leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees, propping his chin in his hands.

"Well, it doesn't…I mean it's not like there's much of a choice, so it really doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong, I love it here and would rather not change schools, especially to Hogwarts, but…well like I said, it's not like we had much of a choice."

Riley shot a glare at her brother, before whining, "But Daddy, I love my school here. I really, really want to stay. Can't put up more wards or something?"

"Believe me Riley, if there were any way to let you stay here and not go to Hogwarts, I would let you," Said Severus.

"At least we get to spend more time with you." Blake said with a small smile.

"Yeah, but Hogwarts is like so…so…blah!" Missy said waving her arms for emphasis.

"My, your vocabulary just keeps improving." Blake snickered, falling silent only when a fluffy pillow slammed into the side of his head.

"Oh shut up, you know what I mean. They only have Quidditch as a sport, and as for classes, the variety is like, nonexistent." The small brunette ranted. Severus smiled and shook his head. Once Riley started whining about details, she had pretty much come around, but just wanted to complain.

"So, when do we leave?" Blake asked.

"I was hoping to arrive two days before the start of term, so we would need to leave on Monday."

"That's like the day after tomorrow…I can't get ready that fast." Riley exclaimed.

"Then you will leave unready. Now, the two of you should start packing. You do not have to bring everything, just the things you want at Hogwarts for the school year. Remember, you are going to be in the dormitories, so your personal space will be limited. I do have an extra bedroom in my chambers which you two may share, but once again, it's not very large so try not to bring too much stuff."

The meeting had gone rather well Severus thought as he sat behind his desk enjoying the solitude after two grumbling teens had departed. Of course, he had not mentioned to them the fact that they would not be sorted, but "placed" in Gryffindor. The reason for this was the special warding placed on Gryffindor tower to protect Harry-bloody-Potter. He had raged for a full, two hours when Albus had told him of the arrangement. To think that his precious children would be forced into the house that contained worthless, strutting idiots! The only reason they had won (they being Albus and Minerva) was that Severus had become exhausted and had gone to lie down to keep from passing out.

(End Chapter)

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, please do not forget to review (I only got 3 for the last chapter and according to my stats there are several of you who are skiving off! (Shame shame).


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